title: Etoposide induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial- and caspase-dependent pathways and in non-cancer stem cells in Panc-1 pancreatic cancer cells.
abstract: Pancreatic cancer is a highly aggressive malignant tumor. In the present study, we performed several methods, including CCK-8 assay, immunofluorescence technique, western blotting and flow cytometry, to determine the effects of VP16 (etoposide) on Panc-1 pancreatic cancer cells. The results demonstrated that VP16 inhibited the growth of and induced apoptosis in Panc-1 cells. Western blot analysis showed that VP16 inhibited the expression of Bcl-2 and enhanced the expression of Bax, caspases-3 and -9, cytochrome c and PARP. Notably, a strong inhibitory effect of VP16 on Panc-1 cells mainly occurred in non-CSCs. These data provide a new strategy for the therapy of pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Research Center, First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200080, P.R. China.
authors.forename: She-Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects*; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
chemical_list: D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D005047:Etoposide; D045304:Cytochromes c; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9